Hence Lovestrong, a Skulduggery tale
by Learmont
Summary: An awkward young man discovers to his dismay that he possesses powers beyond his control. A living, talking, fire-throwing skeleton-detective comes to his aid. OC


**Authors note: A couple years ago I read the Skulduggery Pleasant series. I also did a lot of writing back then, and now I'm trying to pick it up again. Please let me know what you think, and if there should come more of this. I do have another chapter...**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Skulduggary Pleasant.**

Chapter 1

Hence Lovestrong had never been much of a fighter. The day he discovered he had killer hands had been a traumatizing moment in the life of this loving character. One moment he hugged his mother, the next moment she was on the floor with an imploded chest. Hence had run to his sister, grabbed her hand and ran. He was already outside of the house when he realized there was no body attached to the hand anymore. Just above the wrist of his sisters hand was an awful rotten stump and nothing more. Hence screamed in disgust and fainted.

He was found by a thin man in a pin-striped suit. He wore a hat and had a scarf wrapped around his face, even though it was in the midst of summer. The man nodded and hummed an old tune. He crouched next to the motionless body and ran his gloved finger over Hence's hand. Again he nodded and pulled a cellphone from a pocket. He mumbled a few words in it, raised and walked away.

Not long after that, Hence came to his senses again. Or at least he woke up with another scream and flailing arms. His sences would never fully return, but lets not give that away just yet. Lovestrong stood up and began running down the street. When he arrived at the crossing, a black van stopped with shrieking tires, the side door flung open and Lovestrong was pulled inside. Before he even was aware of his brand new surroundings someone pulled a bag over his head. Also he felt the cold steel of hand cuffs around his wrists. Imminently, he felt calmer. Suddenly, the sound of a girls voice reached his ears. It was a rather beautiful voice, Hence thought.  
"What now? We can't leave him running around. He needs some training."  
Lovestrong had no idea what the voice was talking about. "Who's speaking? You have a lovely voice."  
"Cheers. You don't, to be honest. And shut up, we're thinking."  
For a moment, the roar of the V8 engine filled the cabin and the tires squealed as they rounded a corner. Hence was slightly disorientated and a bit numb from everything that had happened. Where were they taking him? And who were they?

Shortly after that, the van came to an abrupt halt. Someone cursed and the doors were flung open. Hence felt the shackles removed from his wrist and at the same moment he felt like some sort of power was flowing through his body. Like it belonged there. The bag was slipped of his head and Hence looked into the deep brown eyes of a young woman. To be more precise she looked like a 12 year old, but she had an experience in her eyes that made her look a lot older.  
"We're being attacked. Whenever you see something evil, touch it. That will be enough." Without further hesitation the girl swirled around and conjured up a fireball, which she hurled into a tall figure covered in fur. The creature roared and tumbled back.  
Hence stared at his hands. What had become so special about them? He did like to touch people when he was talking to them. He also knew a lot of sick people. Every time he had visited a friend, that same friend would be sick the day after. He had never thought much of it, but now there was a little spark inside his head. Maybe there was a relation…

Before he could ponder over this enlightening idea he felt a blow to his back and tumbled forward. He regained his balance, turned around and looked point blank in a furry face with long fangs in it. Hence screamed in disgust and raised his hand at the same moment the jaws of the creature were going for his throat. Before his eyes Hence saw the furry had tremble and then explode. A red mash covered Hence's face but he didn't notice. Did he just do that? Did he have such power by the mere touch of his hand?  
"Good work! There's another one!" Hence recognized the girl's beautiful voice. He turned to look at her and saw her fling some dark shadows into the chest of a hairy creature. It sank to the ground with a collapsed head. Hence was terrified by the fact that such a lovely girl could do such horrible things. Again he looked at his hands and then to the creature he'd just killed. He had the same powers, the same abilities to kill. He, a man who took pride in the fact he never harmed a fly.  
"Stop being an idiot and fight! Do you want to die?" There was a furious look in the girl's eyes. Hence shook his head and looked for another attacker. He saw one standing near the van, sneaking towards the girl. Hence ran up to the creature, reached out with his finger and touched the creature's claw lightly. The beast snarled like it was laughing and then growled like it was in pain. He lifted his paw. A black rot spread quickly across its arm and the rest of his body. He slowly sank to the ground and within seconds was nothing more but a black bubbling spot on the concrete.  
"I think that was the last one. Let's go!"  
Before he even knew what was going on, Hence was in the back of the van again, hands shackled and a bag over his head.


End file.
